Machine for dressing floors.



' No. 730,499. PATEN-TED JUNEYQ; 1903.

r G. B. WATTLES.

MACHINE FOR DRESSING FLOORS.

. APPLIGATION PILEDJULY 5. 1902 no MODEL. I k 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED JUNE 9, 1903.

1 '0. B. WATTLBS. MACHINE FOR DRESSING FLOORS.-

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 6. 1922. I No MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PatentedJune 9, 1903.

CYRA n. WATTLES, or PROVIDENCE, uoon ISLAND.

MACHINE FOR onsssmo FLOORS.

srncrrrca'rron forming part of Letters Patent No. 730,499, date'd'June 9, 1903.

Application filed July 5,1902. Serial No. 114,338. on model.) 2

To all whmn it may concern: Be it known that I, CYRA B. \VATTLES, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Provideuce, in the county of Providence and State with wax or other unctuous material and re-- quire to be rubbed, so as to present a polished surface.

The dressing of floors is a slow and most laborious occupation. To lighten the labor, facilitate the operation, and produce a better surface are the objects of this invention, by which a rotatably-mounted roller driven by a motor connected by a flexible connection with a source of energy may be guidedover the surface of a floor to dress the same, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

Figure 1 is an elevation showing the dressing-roller connected with a portable electric motor. Fig. 2 is aplan view of the same. Fig.

3 is a sectional view of the rotatably-mounted dressing-roller, taken through the longitudinal center of the roller. Fig. 4; is an end view of the frame in which the dressingroller is rptatably supported.v Fig. 5 is atransverse sectional view of the dressing-roller, showing the clothing detachably secured to the same. Fig. 6 is a detail showing part of the dressing-roller and the means for securing the clothing to the same. Fig. 7 is a detail showing the clothing secured-to the roller.

Similar marks of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, Aindicates'the motor. In the preferred forml use an electric motor and provide the casing of the motor with the brackets a a, in which the casters a are pivotally secured, so that the motormay be readily moved on the floor. The conductor-wires a a connect the armature and brushes of the motor with a source of electric energy. i

length to permit of the movement of the motor to any part of the floor to be dressed, I inclose the wires. in the flexible tube a frame I), the side arms 5 b of which have the rollers b 12 one on each side arm, and the caster b adj ustably secured to the bar 12 connecting the two side arms. The side arms of the frame Z) are provided with the studs b b. The bail c is journaled at the opposite sides on the shaft b outside of the frame b and may be swung to rest on one or the other of the pair of studs b b", as is shown in Fig. 4. To the cross-bar of the hail the rod 0 is secured, and to the opposite end of the rod the handle 0 The shaft b may be secured in the ends B and B of the dressing-roller B by means of splines in the usual manner; but in the preferred form (shown in Fig. 3) I provide the shaft 1) with the shoulder near one end and near the other endwith the screw-thread b and secure the shaft by the nut b, which is turned in securing the shaft in the direction opposite to the direction in which the shaft is turned.

By this construction the shaft 19 may be through the bail c, the frame I), and the end B of the roller B, with the shoulder bearing against the end B.. The opposite end of the shaft is through the end B of the roller until the screw-thread h encounters the nut 11. The shaft 2) is now turned, while the nut b is held stationary by a pin which is inserted through the holes 12 12 into a seat in the nut until the roller is firmly clamped to the shaft.

The cylindricalsurface of the roller B is covered with a sheet of material adapted to effect the desired dressing of the floor. For dressing down and eveningthe surface ofwood floors a sheet covered with abrasive material may be used. In practice I find that a sheet of the sandpaper of commerce is very efficient for cutting down the surface. A finer quality may be used for finishing. For rubbing the floor-surface impregnated With wax or other As the wires a o require to be of sufficient 7 ICO compound a sheet of cloth may be used. I I

provided with the longitudinal V- shaped groove 1). The V-shaped strip 5 has projecting from the under side the plates 17 b from each side of which the pins I) extend into the oblique slots 1) in brackets formed integral with the nuts If. The nuts are in screwthread engagement with the screw spindle I), which is journaled in the ends B B of the roller. One end of the screw-spindle I) is provided with the wrench-head b, so that the screw-spindle may be turned, and a recess is formed in the end B surrounding the head I), to permit the insertion of a wrench;

WVhen the sheet cl of abrasive or rubbing ma= terial has been placed on the cylindrical surface of the dressing-roller B and the edges are turned downinto the V-shaped groove 1), as is shown in Fig. 5, the screw-spindle is turned to the right and the oblique slots Z1 act on the pins b to draw the plates b and the V-shaped strip D toward the screw-spindle into the V- shaped groove 1) and firmly clamp the edges of the sheet cl between the sides of the groove and the strip 1). By adjusting the connection of the caster I) with the bar If on the frame I) the bearing of the dressing-roller on the surface of the floor E may be regulated, as is clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The shaft 1) of the dressing-roller B is provided with the flexible coupling a and is connected by the shaft a with the flexible coupling a 011 the shaft of the motor. This flexible connection between the dressing -roller and the motor permits independent movement of each, while the flexible connection of the motor (provided, as it is, with casters) with the source of energy enables the machine to be moved over the surface of the whole floor. In

practice the operator grasping the handle 0 may readily move the motor and the dresser in any desired direction.

At the high speed at which the dressingroller may be operated the floor of a large room may be dressed down or polished in a short time by one person with little exertion. Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a machine adapted for dressing a floor in its position, the combination with a motor,

' shaft connecting the independent motor with the dressing-roller, as described.

3. In a machine for dressing a floor in its position, in combination, a motor supported on a frame provided with casters, a flexible shaft, and a dressing-roller supported on a frame provided with casters, whereby the motor and the dressing-roller may be adjusted each independent of the other, as described.

Al. In a machine for dressing floors, the combination with the dressing-roller and a frame for supporting the dressing-roller provided with two rollers b and an adj Listing-caster 11*, of a bail c j ournaled to the frame, whereby the dressing-roller may be adjusted with refer ence to the floor by the caster, and directed by the bail, as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' OYRA B. WVATTLES.

Witnesses:

J. A. MILLER, J r., B. S. XVEBs'rER. 

